Sue Kruczek wears a pendant with the fingerprint of her son, Nick, who died of an opioid overdose.

Chion Wolf
/ WNPR

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A new law aimed at combating Connecticut’s opioid and heroin epidemic will go into effect on July 1, 2016. The legislation, Public Act 16-43, has been described as one of the most comprehensive opioid laws in the country and includes several key provisions -- among them: a seven-day limit on all first-time, non-chronic pain opioid prescriptions.

This hour, we hear from two mothers whose personal stories helped spur the new law. They tell us how opioid abuse has impacted their families, and talk about efforts to curb the stigma of addiction. We also check in with WNPR's newsroom to find out how a network of recovered addicts and heroin users in Hartford are taking matters into their own hands to prevent overdoses.

GUESTS:

Sue Kruczek - Guilford resident and mother

Michelle Sember - Branford resident and mother

State Rep. Sean Scanlon - Serves Connecticut's 98th district

Ryan Caron King - Digital reporter for WNPR and the New England News Collaborative

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